Music, Cats, and Coffee

In light of election predictions/results, I'm taking a break from Twitter for my mental health.

Today, I got my new car VIN-inspected, registered, and tagged! (And paid the $1500 sales tax, since I purchased out-of-state. Ooooof. Yeah, sorry everyone, not gonna be a very stacked Christmas from this household in terms of gifts.)

2 lovely things have happened already and it's not even Noon:

1. My new tag number is 073. I LOVE 7's and 3's, prime numbers in general, and particularly like 73! Yet another Sign from the Universe that buying this car was the Right Thing for me. <3

2. A few months ago, I sent a die to a person in the Dice Maniac's Club group. Chessex Borealis Aquerple d10, at the time, worth around $40ish. The DMC person was going through Some Shit and being very conscientious and responsible with their money (in my opinion). I wanted to give them some joy, something positive and happy, so I sent the die to them free.

At the time, I received a tearful thank you in FB Messenger, and I was just so glad I could brighten their day!

This morning, I check the mail, and there's an unexpected package. Inside is a note "You gave me an unexpected gift, now here's one from me. Thank you so much. Happy Holidays!" :3

It's a set of Archanist's Armory Smokey Night Aurora Borealis d10s from their super-limited-no-plans-to-stock-more 10d10 offerings!

I AM SO HAPPY! And so touched!!!!! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!

This will be my first time performing in a concert with basically no home practice.

Flute choir concert this afternoon, I'm on alto flute for all pieces. The little bit practice I got in was 3 or 4 weeks ago on C flute (prior to being reassigned alto). I've attended 2 rehearsals the past 2 Sundays, and today's concert is going to be recorded for submission for next years' National Flute Association Convention.

No pressure.

Life and life choices got me here. Hopefully, talent and luck will get me through!

I'll be fine. The pieces we're performing are lyrical, many are variations on folk songs. Pretty harmonies, nothing particularly technically challenging (there is always tremendous challenge in those subtle aspects of music that even international award winners strive to improve). I'll know I needed more practice and *I* can tell I'm out of shape, but thankfully this is flute choir work, not solo work! My fellow players will help cover me!

Rin has been sick, coughing up both lungs and his liver. OTC meds didn't help, Rx meds didn't help. Even with us sleeping on different floors of the house and me wearing earplugs, his coughing keeps me awake. I am TIRED. And he's so exhausted and sore it defies description. :(

He's not coming to the concert for fear of a coughing fit during the recording. My dad and grama are planning to come, though. I didn't bother telling my mom; they have enough going on with her post-op healing. No one else ever comes, but it is a long drive.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
I HAVE A KIT-TY!
SHE'S BLACK AND SHE'S TINY
AND SHE LOVES ONLY ME!

Meeting a friend for my free birthday coffee at Starbucks, then home for Decisions. How much Responsible Adult work do I want to do before driving down to my mom's for FISHING.

My dad bought me a 5-yr state license as a birthday present, and come rain or flood, I'm gonna start putting some miles on it today!

Mom invited me down for fishing, and they've got some choice fishing spots, so I'm GOING. The only question is how much of the housework gets done beforehand... Probably at least a load of laundry (already in the washer!) and dishes (tiny amount, mostly cat dishes). Should clean bathroom counter tops, range top, and do some fish maintenance (tank cleaning/water change). That's it, though. I want to get on the road so I can get on the river!

Poor kitties, they'll STARVE TO DEATH because I won't be here to feed them at 8pm or tomorrow at 8am. (They'll have plenty of dry food and I'll give them gooshy food before I leave today.) But HERE FISHY FISHY FISHY!!!

This is just to log that tonight I experienced a Sir James Galway flute concert for the first time (and probably the only time, seeing as how he's 80). I am so, SO glad I went to this concert. I didn't know it was happening (or I didn't remember/realize) until yesterday afternoon. Thank Menoth there were seats still available! I also went to the pre-concert lecture, it was kinda flute 101 but great for me. My flute teacher and several KC Flute Choir members were there. (I had no idea! We could've made it a party or something!)

All the adjectives in Snake, Rattle N' Roll that scroll when you beat a level? ALL OF THEM.

OUTSTANDING.
AMAZING.
INCREDIBLE.
PHENOMENAL.
SPECTACULAR.

He did things I could scarcely believe my ears were possible on flute. It was classical repertoire, with some Irish folk arrangements. The accompanist was also all those adjectives - it was like he and Sir Galway had a mind-meld they were so precisely together!

He closed the concert with two duets with his wife, who I'm ashamed to say I didn't know played at all, let alone at the virtuoso level of her Living Legend husband. They were so in sync sound-wise I could barely tell when one picked up a phrase and the other left off!

He played on a platinum flute for all but the duets; then he played on a gold flute (probably to match Lady Jeanne, who had a gold flute). The flutes were NOT miked, yet I could hear everything crystal clear.

The recordings of his I've heard led me to think I didn't like his sound but I think that platinum flute gave it a sweeter tone than the gold because I enjoyed it much, much more than I was expecting.

Dude is 80. EIGHTY. He's got a splendid sense of humor, very witty on the microphone, great "dad" jokes. That is the kind of human I aspire to be.

Flute practicing motivation: full up!

After hearing about this documentary from a friend of a friend, I wanted to watch it myself since it's one of the few topics I might have a prayer of an informed opinion on given my employment in clinical research. I started hijacking the OPs threads, but fortunately they have comments on a screen process, so I was able to dodge that faux paux and bring my yammerings here.

ETA Credentials: I worked for a contract manufacturer of Class I Medical Devices for 5 years as Quality Control before moving to a contract research organization performing Phase I and early Phase II Clinical Research (in-human trials) in 2016. I transitioned from Quality Control into Quality Assurance in 2018. Both industries are heavily and intimately regulated by multiple bodies, including the FDA and the European Union. Paperwork is my life.

The documentary itself was very much in line with any documentary - skating the edge of sensationalist exploitation of personal tragedies by way of Serious Faces and some text-on-screen data. Near as I can tell, that's what good documentaries do, so fair enough?

I took issue with a couple points, but overall I'm glad I watched it. I learned some interesting and depressing things. I will definitely pay closer attention to any Class III devices being foisted upon me, and I will thoroughly vet my surgeon's qualifications using any devices should that situation come up.

Under the cut is a very extensive breakdown of my take on a few of the movie’s points, including links to FDA websites specific to issues at hand.

( I do go on. )